Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday made controversial remarks targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, amid reports that six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray camp are set to join the ruling Shiv Sena faction.
Raut said Shinde was “pregnant” and had “now given birth to six MPs”. These controversial statements are the second such statements made by the Sena leader in the last seven days.
“Eknath Shinde was pregnant and gave birth to six MPs. The birth took place in Nandanvan,” Raut said, referring to Shinde’s official residence where many rebel MPs reportedly gathered before their formal induction into Parliament. Shinde led by Shiv Sena.
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Six deputies prepare to cross
The recent political development represents a major setback for Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT). The six MPs expected to join Shinde’s camp are: Sanjay Dina Patel, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Jadhav, Bhausaheb Wakchor, Nagesh Patil Ashtekar and Omprakash Raje Nimbalkar.
Speculations about their shift began after all six of them skipped the Shiv Sena parliamentary party’s (UBT) meeting in Delhi on June 17. Their absence sparked rumors that they were preparing an alliance with the Shinde faction.
among them, Darashiv MP Nimbakar and Hingoli MP Ashtekar have already confirmed their decision to break away from the Uddhav-led camp.
“Ga**u” Raut remarks.
Raut’s latest comments come just days after he faced embarrassment for his remarks against the rebel lawmakers. Following the Delhi meeting attended by UBT representatives, Raut repeatedly used the word “Ga**u” while referring to those who skipped the rally and allegedly planned to defect.
“These traitors, these dishonest people in society and in politics, traitors and dishonest people, one should use exactly this kind of language for them,” the Rajya Sabha member later said. Raut added that leaders who betrayed their parties, regardless of their political affiliations, deserve similar treatment.
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Camp Shinde celebrates new arrivals
Shinde faction leaders welcomed this development. Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the MPs were impressed with the leadership and governance Eknath Shinde and Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde.
According to Sarnaik, the MPs have already submitted a letter to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla regarding their decision and are joining Shiv Sena because they wish to follow the ideology of party founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
The MPs first met at Shinde’s residence before heading to the YB Chavan Center in Mumbai, where the official joining ceremony is expected to be held later today, party leaders said.
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Uddhav Thackeray responds
The defections have clearly shaken the Uddhav Thackeray camp.
Reacting to the developments, Uddhav Thackeray insisted that there can only be one The Shiv Sena accused the rebel MPs of abandoning the party for political gains.
“The Shiv Sena’s political legacy was built around protecting the rights of the Marathi people, and there can be only one Shiv Sena. In 2024, we fought against the coalition led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and still won with the support of the people. Now, by defecting for power and money, these MPs have betrayed the party and the people,” Thackeray said.
The latest round of defections has been linked to “Operation Tiger”, a reported strategy by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to bring leaders from the Uddhav Thackeray camp into its ranks. The term derives its name from the tiger, the symbol of the undivided Shiv Sena under founder Bal Thackeray.
